P2P networks are becoming commonplace as the demand for data transfer increases on underlying public and private data networks. P2P networks allow the data needed by one peer to be sourced from one of potentially many different peers, thereby preventing the original source from becoming overloaded with content requests. While P2P networks resolve some content delivery issues such as the overloading of the original source, P2P networks may suffer from other content delivery issues.
For example, a given peer may have a relatively low upload transfer rate. If that peer is called on to deliver content to too many other peers, the delivery of that content to those other peers may be delayed. As another example, a given peer may have a high cost of data transfer or a data transfer limit. If that peer is called on to deliver content to or receive content from too many other peers or to deliver content too often, the content delivery may result in increased network access charges to the owner of that peer or may even result in this peer going offline. As yet another example, a given peer may have a time or activity limited power source. If that peer is called on to deliver content to or receive content from too many other peers or to deliver content too often, the content delivery may result in this peer going offline or even shutting down altogether.
Other issues present in P2P networks include controlling access to the networks and having access to information about peers joined to the P2P networks. As P2P networks may operate with virtually anonymous peers, content control and peer selection is difficult. The virtually anonymous status of peers also makes any attempts to control and improve the operation of the P2P network difficult.